Suvarnabhumi Immigration arrest Russian for using stolen visa label

[thaiandi]

"providing each embassy a security safe"...

Where do they keep our passport when they keep them overnight?

Just what I was thinking. Surely a security safe is a novel idea that would solve the problem of someone from the inside stealing visa stickers.

[lemonjelly]

The Ministry is also looking for options preventing such problem

The source also believes that some embassy officials might have a hand in the illegal trade of Thai visa stickers.

How to prevent this problem? Well, do not employ any Thai at any embassy anywhere, including the ambassadors. Problem solved, Ministry can thank me later...

The usual Thai bashing has begun. A small reminder: hundreds of visas were illegally issued by the US Embassy in HCMC a few years back; the same happened at German Embassies in some of the old Soviet block countries. And I do not think they were hiring Thais.

Thai bashers are every bit annoying as Thai apologists, a plethora of both species are to be found in the undergrowth, under rocks etc.

Edited August 24, 2013 by lemonjelly

[Baerboxer]

Well done to the Immigration Police for catching these criminals. They must all have reasons to avoid the legal visa system and therefore prepared to pay extra for an illegal visa.

[smotherb]

The Ministry is also looking for options preventing such problem

The source also believes that some embassy officials might have a hand in the illegal trade of Thai visa stickers.

How to prevent this problem? Well, do not employ any Thai at any embassy anywhere, including the ambassadors. Problem solved, Ministry can thank me later...

You should think about going elsewhere, if that is your true feeling.

[hanno]

Thai bashers are every bit annoying as Thai apologists, a plethora of both species are to be found in the undergrowth, under rocks etc.

Not an apologist at all. I mean an Embassy without a safe!!!!!! That is criminal. Just saying that a number of other Embassies have had problems, too.

[Thai at Heart]

, such as providing each embassy a security safe,

Wow. Now there is some innovative thinking. Of course, they also need to remember to lock the safe.....

[Thai at Heart]

"providing each embassy a security safe"...

Where do they keep our passport when they keep them overnight?

Just what I was thinking. Surely a security safe is a novel idea that would solve the problem of someone from the inside stealing visa stickers.

Only if you lock it.

[FiestyFarang]

this was just a test case for the well oiled money extraction machine, now they realise farangs are stupid enough to pay 30,000 bht for a visa so they can now raise the visa fees

I think these people getting these Visas are hiding something which they think will show up through normal visa application.

[FiestyFarang]

The article states that a safe would be provided for each Embassy. Surely this is standard practice but now all the criminals know they are easy to steal before the safes arrive. Also why can't Visas be electronic like Australia, Thailand earns so much from Visas it should all be done online saving money in the future. Problem is the Police I suspect on the road are not linked up to the Immigration database.

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Nigerian arrested in Phuket with visa stolen from Malaysia, cocaine
Phuket Gazette


Nigerian national Ebogbulem Chinwemdu Romanus (center), 33, is placed under arrest yesterday by Karon Police. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- A Nigerian man arrested for possession of cocaine in Phuket yesterday was also found to be carrying a passport with a visa stolen from the Thai embassy in Malaysia.

Karon Police on patrol were notified by an undercover officer of the location of the Nigerian, who was believed to be in possession of drugs.

“We approached the man and asked to search him, and found 1.33 grams of cocaine in his wallet,” said Karon Police Deputy Superintendent Sophon Borirak.

“Ebogbulem Chinwemdu Romanus, 33, confessed that he bought the drugs from an Italian friend at Jungceylon shopping mall in Patong,” Col Sophon said.

Phuket Immigration Superintendent Sunchai Chokkajaykij today confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that the visa Mr Romanus had used to enter Thailand was one of the 300 stolen from the Thai Embassy in Malaysia.

“Officers took Mr Romanus to Karon Police Station and charged him with possession of a category 2 drug, cocaine, and falsifying and using a fake visa,” Col Sophon said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Nigerian-arrested-in-Phuket-with-visa-stolen-from-Malaysia-cocaine-22064.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-08-24

[Emdog]

Sounds like a win-win situation to me. Sell stickers to drug smugglers etc, easier to id them at border, and then subject them to Thai justice system. And kick back some of the exorbitant fee charged to aid in not finding "Mama" to insider who got stickers in the first place and his superiors. But I did notice local motorcycle sticker vendor had some next to Man U and Liverpool stickers he normally offers, so this may be getting a tad out of hand......

[MobileContent]

Why in the world would 300 foreigners pay Big Mama Thai 30,000 baht for a false Thai visa?

Counterfeit passports seems to be the reasons.

[Notstupid30]

I think the only areas this gang been working so fair is Bangkok / Phuket and maybe Pattaya due to all these area have a percentage of low life people who can't get a visa ..

[Notstupid30]

This does sound very interesting. from back in 2003

Two weeks ago, police arrested the Thai operator of Mama Tours in Khao San Road after two Britons and one Dutch national were detained at Bangkok airport for travelling on fake stamps from her agency.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/728786/British-travellers-fall-victim-to-Thai-visa-scam.html

i wonder if any connection to the name at all seems kind of odd both came up MAMA ...

Edited August 24, 2013 by Notstupid30

[cosmont]

Thats a very strange story ... Russian can entenr the kingdom without Visa and stay 3 months. Why he would need a visa ?

I guess Mama sold them a One Year multiple entry visa.

More than labels, a stamp should be input on the visa/passport so I am pretty sure staff from embassy is involved in the scam.

[johntren]

Why is it that everything printed in the Nation makes one question the sanity of the writer or his readers? They know the members of the gang 'are not Muslims'. How? What's the relevance? Are we supposed, perhaps, to read into this that they know the culprits were Thai -- which at least makes sense and chimes in with what 99% of us are thinking?

And yimlitnoy makes an excellent point -- it takes a Keystone-Cops-style international shaming event to get them to spring for safes!!! In a consulate??!!

I think my computer needs a new ' ! ' key. This one's worn out.

[PoorSucker]

Thats a very strange story ... Russian can entenr the kingdom without Visa and stay 3 months. Why he would need a visa ?

Is that by air or land?

"...the 2nd best time to plant a tree is today." Sent from ThaiVisa app (Galaxy Note 2).

I only know BY AIR ... but the bilateral agreement bewteen Thailan and Russia says no visa for both nationality when entering the country. Thai dont need Visa for Russia, except when they want to work.

Russians don't get 90 days.

They get 30 day visa except stamps by air and land.

90 day is given to passport holders from

1. Argentina

2. Brazil

3. Chile

4. Republic of Korea

5. Peru

[Dante99]

Thats a very strange story ... Russian can entenr the kingdom without Visa and stay 3 months. Why he would need a visa ?

I guess Mama sold them a One Year multiple entry visa.

More than labels, a stamp should be input on the visa/passport so I am pretty sure staff from embassy is involved in the scam.

yeh man, it is really really hard to get a stamp made

[oldsailor35]

Well i never, a "security safe" at the embassy, what a novel idea...................but just a Thai thing i suppose !

[Nooky2]

Don't you love how they set these guys up for photo shoots. Bad Farang!

Is there more crime by Russians or is there just more Russians now?

Edited August 24, 2013 by Nooky2

[Nooky2]

The Ministry is also looking for options preventing such problem

The source also believes that some embassy officials might have a hand in the illegal trade of Thai visa stickers.

How to prevent this problem? Well, do not employ any Thai at any embassy anywhere, including the ambassadors. Problem solved, Ministry can thank me later...

The usual Thai bashing has begun. A small reminder: hundreds of visas were illegally issued by the US Embassy in HCMC a few years back; the same happened at German Embassies in some of the old Soviet block countries. And I do not think they were hiring Thais.

As a note about embassies here.

In order to work at an embassy you must be a Thai or a foreigner that has obtained residency not needing a work permit. Thailand will not allow embassies to issue work permits and Thailand will not issue work permits for foreigners to work in embassies, therefore; at least 95% of embassy workers are Thai. Diplomats are excluded.

Edited August 24, 2013 by Nooky2

[Bkungbank]

30.000 thb for a visa 555 why they not make a normal visarun even with airplane would be cheaper

and they didn't know that all visa are numbered ?

My 1st thought also, cheaper just to pop into the embassy especially if you are already in the city and you can collect it the next day and not wait 2 days.

It's not easy to apply for a second visa there as they will reject for second times if we apply without a good reason or proof any document.

[Notstupid30]

RT@RichardBarrow: Immigration police arrested two Nigerians with visas stolen from Thai embassy in Malaysia (Pic @dekdue_03) pic.twitter.com/Z3a932npVS

[lee b]

What was going through his head while doing this. He must of known he was not going to get in, surely ..???

[lee b]

Shocked? Not !

[HerbalEd]

I wonder if it's a good thing or a bad think that most criminals are really stupid. I guess it a good thing in most cases as it makes them easier to catch. Although if they were smart, perhaps many (most?) wouldn't do the crime in the first place.

[Robbie Dye]

I here there is a crackdown in Pattaya on some Language Schools issuing/obtaining student visas and some have been withdrawn upon re-application. Not really a very clever way to stay here if u under 50. I bet one day they will raise retirement visa age to 55 or 60, that might put the cat amongst the pigeons.

[mosan]

Strange... I'm sure some of these visa holders are bad guys, but I know some good folks who live around me here in Thailand that paid 15,000 to 25,000 Baht to get a visa because they thought is was a perfectly normal thing to do! Casual conversation with others told them it beats all the hassle!

Additionally, I've met people doing multiple tourist visa runs because they didn't understand the rules and didn't know how to find the rules (or never inquired.)

Not to mention all the do gooders that duck their heads when you pass them in Tesco or Big C. Makes you wonder how clean their background is...many are probably here posting on Thaivisa...

[Halion]

There is so much very wrong about this story and the so called facts keep changing along with the worst journalistic attitude.

The media here does not ask or endevour to interogate , they simple ask whoever is in focus at the time 'what happened" then off they go, job done. They fact that they may run a different story the following day has little or no impact on them.

[indyuk]

Seriously? What checks are made when you enter Thailand that you would need to pay 30,000 baht to avoid them? Something just doesn't feel right.

Not sure what type of visa it is. People pay that kind of money for student visas all the time....I dont know that all 300 even knew they were getting fake visas. Again many here in thailand drop their passports at visa agencies and pick them up assuming they are getting real visas.

The bad boys that used to claim Pattaya as their turf, until the Russians took over, were rumoured to buy each annual Thai Visa for 10,000 Baht which was said to include the Visa and three 90 day stamps. I imagine that the criminal element among todays Russian Bad Boys do the same. Why? I imagine that they try to stay invisible while in Thailand.